Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says his side is calm and focused as they prepare to host African Stars in the second leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round tie.
The Soweto giants carry a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Botswana. That slim lead leaves the tie finely balanced, but Ouaddou insists there is no anxiety in the camp as the team prepares to finish the job in front of their own supporters.
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“It should not be [a nervous occasion],” Ouaddou said in the pre-match press conference on Thursday morning at Orlando Stadium.
“The players are ready, they know what to do, we’re playing at home in front of our fans, we must respect the plan, be united. In this competition we need the whole team to be connected, to row on the same side to reach the target.”
The Moroccan coach stressed collective discipline, saying the club’s continental ambitions rest on everyone pulling in the same direction. For Ouaddou, home advantage and the backing of the Orlando faithful are assets the players should embrace rather than a source of pressure.
He also made it clear that the squad is eager for the match to arrive. “No nerves, we are impatient to play the game tomorrow.”
A first-leg lead is valuable in a two-legged tie, but it offers no guarantee. African Stars will need only to find a goal or two to turn the contest around, and Pirates will be wary of conceding early and handing the visitors belief. Ouaddou’s call to “respect the plan” suggests a measured approach, with the emphasis on structure and unity over reckless attacking.
“It’s an important objective for us to go far, Pirates is a giant of Africa, the fans, stakeholders, club are waiting for us to be in this competition, the players are ready and understand what’s needed tomorrow [today, Friday],” he added.
“I told the players, jokingly, without Pirates in the Champions League, it’s like Morocco not in the World Cup, we need big teams in big competitions.”
With a place in the next round at stake, Pirates will look to turn their composure into a result and keep their Champions League campaign moving forward when they host the Namibian side at Orlando Amstel Arena on Friday (20h00).